Boiler-flue cutter



(No Model.)

n No. 514,985.

o; vlafzxLRT C. FOX, Jr. BILER PLUIE GUTTER.

Patented Feb. 20, 1894.

l i 2/(C27 l 2 v 3 l 9 l 1% 15 l' Mmm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. ALBERT AND CONRAD FOX, JR., OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.

BOlLER-FLUE CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 514,985, dated February 20, 1894. `Appumi0nieaApri1-25,1893. secano. 471,735. (Nomad.)

To al@ whom it may concern:

.Be 1t known that we, CHARLES I-l. ALBERT and CONRAD FOX, J r., of Racine, in the county yof Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boller-Flue Cutters, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specication.

. Our invention has relation to improvements 1n boiler iiue cutters.

It is often the case in the construction of a boiler shell that a variation in punching the rlvet holes, or in the operation of setting the head, frequently renders it impossible to bring the iiues to the proper length. Therefore, boiler makers in building the shell make an allowance in order to bring the lues to the proper length, by cutting them off, after they are placed in position. As it is important that these iues should terminate nearly flush with the heads of the boilerl leaving onlyl a small projection for. beading, it is the objectof our invention to provide a convenient and simple tool for accomplishing this purpose.

The device may also be utilized to ad vantage in removing boiler tlues which have become impaired by use, or otherwise damaged, to provide for their replacement by more perfect ones, as will hereinafter more fully appear.'

The invention consistsin the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is an elevation of our device, parts being in section, showing the same applied to a boiler ue and its headsaid ilue and head being in section for clearer illustration of the application of the device. Fig. 2, isat-ransverse sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a similar View on the line 3--3 of said iig- .,ure. Fig. 4, is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified formvof our device, and Fig. 5, is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Like numerals of reference denote like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a boiler iue and 2 a fragment of a boiler head.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the device proper consists, among other parts, of a shaft 3, which, at opposite ends, is

threaded, at one end for a greater distancev than at the other, and formed medially with an annular shoulder or stop 4. 'About centrally of the shaft is keyed a head 5, provided with a series of radially extending bifurcated arms 6, preferably three, which receive therein cutter arms 7, free to turn upon pivot bolts 8. The forward ends of these arms are reduced, and upon, these reduced ends cutting disks 9 are loosely mounted, said disks being each confined between a shoulder 10, and an end nut 11. The rear ends of the cutting arms are provided with anti-frictional rollers 12. Free to slide longitudinally upon shaft 3 is a collar 13, which is provided with a conically-projecting rim 14, forming an interior conical recess in which the rear ends of the cutting'arms are received, the rollers 12 of said arms bearing against the inclined surface of the cone. Adapted to turn upon the long threaded end of the shaft, and to be brought into contact with the end of collar 13, is a nut 15.

The outer extremity of shaft 3 carries an operating handle or crank 16,while the inner end is'adapted to turnfreely in a cylindrical support 17, which is adapted for insertion in the boiler iiue. The shaft upon its inner eX- tremity receives a Washer 18, which bears against the contiguous end of the cylindrical support, while a jam-nut 19 takes on to the short threads'of this end of the shaft, and holds the support to place, said support being disposed between the nut and Washer and the annular' shoulder or stop 4. By providing nut 19 provision is also made for readily removing the cylindrical support andV replacing it by others of different sizes, so as to adapt the device to boiler iiues of varying diameters.

In the form shown in Fig. 1, the cylindrical support is shown as inserted in the boiler flue a sufficient distance to bring the cutting disks to a position to cut the boiler flue upon the inner side of the head 2, the end of the Hue being shown as flush with the boiler head. The cuttingV of the boiler flue in the manner thus shown is necessary when it is desired to remove the flue entirely,'and'substituteit by another. After one end is cut, the cutter is applied to the opposite end of the flue, and

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after operation of the cutters the flue will drop to the bottom of the boiler shell, when 1t may be readily removed through the manhole usually provided in boiler heads, and all that remains to be done is simply to remove the small collars or bands remaining in the due openings of the heads.

When it is desired to out the projecting ends of flues, so as to bring the dues flush with the boiler head, the device is applied as shown more fully in Fig. 4, so that the cutters will be brought toa position to sever the projecting ends of the lines, and bring said dues even with the head.

The form illustrated in Fig. 4, and in the sectional view Fig. 5, differs in some respects from the principal form of the device, particularly in providing means whereby an increased power or leverage of the operating handle or crank is obtained. Instead of attaching a handle or crank 16 directly to the shaft, the extremity of said shaft is left unthreaded, and the U-shaped end of another handle 20 is carried thereon, said handle being held in place by an outer nut 21. Mounted iixedly upon shaft 3, between the arms formed by the U-shaped end of handle 2,0, is a toothed Wheel 22, with which a pinion 23 is adapted to mesh, said pinion carried on a short shaft 24, journaled in the arms of the U-shaped end of handle 20. The end of this short shaft carries an operating handle or crank 25. In operating this form of the device, all that is necessary is to grasp handle 20 with one hand, and turn the crank 25 with the other.

In order to secure successful results, it is necessary that the tool should have a gage bearing against the boiler head so that all iiues will be cut off the samelength after the proper adjustment of the cutters is attained. In Figs. l, and 4 and 5, respectively, we have shown two diderent forms for accomplishing this. In Fig. 1, an arm 26 is mounted on the end of shaft 3 next to the operating handle. This arm is bent angularly to clear the conical collar, and above the same is one end of a second arm 27, said arm provided with an elongated slot 2S, through' which a thu mbscrew 29 passes, and enters the arm 26 beneath. The inner end of arm 27 is adapted to be brought into contact with a boiler head after the proper adjustment of the cutters is obtained. In Figs. 4 and 5, we show an angularly bent arm 30, having one side V shaped to fit in the angular space between two of the radiating arms 6. Arm 30 is also provided with an elongated slot 31, through which passes a thumb-screw 32 entering head 5, and its inner bifurcated end carries an anti-friction roller 33, which rotates on the boiler-head as the shaft 3 carries with it rotatably the head 5. As in the other construction, the inner end of arm 30 is adapted to bear against the boiler head, after the proper adjustment of the cutters is shown.

In applying our tool, the adjusting device is first arranged, in order to regulate the distance within the boiler head, or outside of the boiler head, at which the iiue is to be out od. The cutter arms are next turned down upon their pivots to admit of their ready 1nserton in the boiler tube, conical collar 13 being slid back toward the cranlcend of the shaft, if necessary to permit this movement of the arms. The shaft 3 is now insertedin the boiler tube, as far as the adjusting device will permit, and is supported within the tube by the cylindrical support 17. Different positions of the cutting ends of the arms 7 are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 respectively. The collar 13 is now slid upon the shaft 3 so asto bring the conical surface into engagement with the antifrictional rollers upon the ends of the cutter arms 7. This collar is adjusted toward the boiler head until the cutting disks are brought firmly against the metal of the boiler flue. After this the nut 15 is tightened against the end of collar 13. The operating handle or crank is turned, and with 1t the shaft 3, the inner end of said shaft having its bearing in the cylindrical support 17. The shaft 3, of course, carries with it, inrits rotation, the cutting arms 7, the cutting disks of which act upon and sever the end of the boiler tube. The nut 15 also advances with the turning of the shaft, thus causing the conical'collar to advance, and in that manner feeding the cuttersinto the pipe untilsevered.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent, is-

1. In a flue cutter, the combination, of a shaft, having opposite threaded ends, and provided medially with an annular shoulder or stop, means for rotating the shaft, a head keyed to the shaft and provided with a series of radially-extending arms, cutter arms pivoted in said radial arms, a collar slidable longitudinally upon the shaft, said collar provided with a daring or conical rim, against which the outer ends of the pivoted arms are adapted to bear, a nut turning on the threads at the outer end of the shaft, and adapted to be screwed against the outer end of the slidable collar, a cylindrical bearing and support upon the inner end of the shaft, said support bearing against the medial shoulder or stop, and a nut on the inner threaded end of the Shaft, bearing against the contiguous end of the cylindrical support, substantially as set forth.

2. In a flue cutter, the co1nbination,of arotatable shaft, a head tixedly mounted thereon and carrying cutting mechanism, an arm provided with an elongated slot, and having an anti-friction roller upon its inner end, adapted to bear against the boiler-head, and a thumb screw passing through the elongated slot and entering the head, substantially as Set forth.

3. In a flue cutter, the combination, of a shaft, means for rotating thc same, pivoted arms carried by and rotating with the shaft,

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said arms provided each, upon one end, with cutting mechanism, a collar slidable upon the shaft, said collar provided with a flaring or conical -,rim against which the outer ends of the pivoted arms are adapted to bear, and

Aa nut turning on threads on the shaft, and

adapted to be screwed against the outer end of the slidable collar, substantially as set forth.

. 4. In a flue cutter, the combination, of a rotatable shaft carrying cutting mechanism, a handle provided with a U -shaped end through which the shaft passes, a toothed wheel rigid upon the shaft and interposed between the arms of the U-shaped portion of the handle, a short shaft journaled in the U-shaped portion, said short shaft carrying a pinion meshing with the toothed wheel, and a crank forV C. J. THIEsEN. Y 

